Desmanthus

Taxonomy

Desmanthus C.L. von Willdenow Nom. cons. Sp. Pl. 4(2): 1044. 1806 ('1805').

Subfamily: Mimosoideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 2.3.35.
Tribe: Mimoseae.
Group: Dichrostachys.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 7 studied; 25 in genus.

Description

Fruit: A legume; unilocular; 1.5–9.5 cm long; 0.2–0.5 cm wide; 0.1–0.3 cm thick; 2–9 times longer than wide, or more than 9 times longer than wide; with deciduous androecial sheath; with deciduous corolla; with deciduous calyx; without orifice formed by curving of fruit or fruit segments; straight to 0.5-coiled; not plicate; not twisted; symmetrical; broadly linear to linear, or oblong; not inflated; compressed to terete; without beak; short tapered at apex; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; tapered at base; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; with the apex and base uniform in texture; coriaceous; seed chambers externally visible; margin not constricted to constricted; margin slightly constricted along both margins to constricted along both margins; margin without sulcus; margin plain; wing(s) absent; substipitate; with all layers dehiscing; splitting along suture(s). Dehiscence of valves along both sutures (and scissoring apart), or 1 suture (along dorsal margin, remaining attached to sutures); apical and down; passive. Replum invisible. Epicarp dull; monochrome; brown to black; with surface texture uniform; glabrous to glabrate; with hairs erect; eglandular; without spines; not smooth; with elevated features; veined; reticulately veined; not tuberculate; not exfoliating; with cracks; without embedded tissue, much thicker than epicarp, running from base to apex. Mesocarp absent. Endocarp present; visible; dull; opaque; monochrome; tan; smooth; without adhering pieces of testa; with seed depressions subseptate to nonseptate; not exfoliating; entire. Seed(s) 4–30; length oblique to fruit length to parallel with fruit length; neither overlapping nor touching; in 1 series. Funiculus 0.5–1 mm long; of 1 length only; filiform; S-curved. Aril absent.

Seed: 2.5–6.6 mm long; 2–3 mm wide; 0.5–1.5 mm thick; not overgrown; not angular; symmetrical; ovate to rhombic, or irregular; compressed; with surface smooth; without visible radicle and cotyledon lobes; without hilar sinus; without umbo on seed faces; without medial ridge on each face. Cuticle not exfoliating; not inflated; not wrinkled. Testa present; without pieces of adhering epicarp; not adhering to endocarp; free from endocarp; glossy; not modified by a bloom; colored; monochrome; brown; glabrous; smooth, or not smooth; with elevated features; pustulate (in irregular lines), or blistered cuticle (buff-colored); osseous. Pleurogram present (with equal or unequal arms); 50–75 %. Pseudopleurogram absent. Fracture lines present. Rim absent. Wing(s) absent. Raphe not visible. Hilum present; fully concealed; concealed by funicular remnant; without faboid split; punctiform; subapical to radicle tip; flush; not within corona, halo, or rim. Lens discernible; 0.2–0.3 mm long; with margins straight, or curved; linear (or poorly defined); elliptic; not in groove of raphe; flush (with or without black patch between lens and hilum); similar color as testa; lighter than testa; tan; not within corona, halo, or rim. Endosperm present; thick; not pluglike and not resembling tip of radicle; adnate to testa. Cotyledons smooth; both outer faces flat; both the same thickness; both more or less of equal length; not folded; margin entire 180 degrees from base of radicle; similar at apex; partially concealing radicle; with lobes; with lobes not touching; with the interface division terminating at base of radicle; without margins recessed; inner face flat; glabrous on inner face. Embryonic axis straight; parallel to length of seed; without a joint evident between the radicle and the cotyledons. Radicle differentiated from cotyledon; straight with embryonic axis; centered between cotyledons. Plumule moderately developed; glabrous.

Distribution